uracil
Biochemistry. a pyrimidine base, C4H4N2O2, that is one of the fundamental components of RNA, in which it forms base pairs with adenine. Symbol: U
Origin of uracil
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British Dictionary definitions for uracil
/ (ˈjʊərəsɪl) /
biochem a pyrimidine present in all living cells, usually in a combined form, as in RNA. Formula: C 4 H 4 N 2 O 2
Origin of uracil
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for uracil
[ yur′ə-sĭl ]
A pyrimidine base that is a component of RNA. It forms a base pair with adenine during transcription. Uracil is therefore structurally analogous to thymine in molecules of DNA. Chemical formula: C4H4N2O2.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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